Fight for Survival
This is the pilot episode of Vale, season 3. Written by Rainy. Read, enjoy, & comment! '' '' '' ''Fight for Survival It had been five sunrises since SpringClan's defeat at the paws of Claron's rogues. Oddly enough, those five sunrises had been long enough for me to wake up and not be totally bewildered at finding myself sleeping on an open plain instead of inside the cozy apprentices' den. My physical wounds had started healing, as had most of the Clan's. Oakstar had regained his strength after losing a life. However, five sunrises wasn't long enough for me to think about our old camp without my chest hurting. The scars were far from fading; in fact, they were just forming, fresh and raw. We had had to bury Moonowl out here, in the middle of nowhere. Nighthawk was devastated. Even now, as I looked around, I saw that he was sitting off by himself with his shoulders hunched. I'd never had a sibling, but I couldn't imagine what it was like to lose someone so close to you. Just the thought of being separated from Daisypaw or Minkpaw made my heart slam in my chest. I was wondering if SpringClan would ever recover from this. Sometimes I would be seized with the nightmarish vision of our cats beginning to turn on each other. I imagined the warrior code fading to nothing, till we were rogues ourselves. How could we be a Clan without a territory, without our camp? In fact, if what Cloudberry had said was true, we were even cut off from even StarClan. I'd never felt so abandoned. Fate had turned on us and sunk its cruel claws deep into our pelts. I couldn't shake loose the grip of depression and hopelessness. I came out of the cocoon of my own thoughts as one of the hunting patrols returned. Lately, Oakstar had been sending out cats more and more often, desperate to keep us fed so that we could heal and keep our spirits up (like that was possible). Most hunts were relatively unsuccessful, but today Ryan, Dewfrost, Specklepaw, and Cranelegs had managed to restore our fresh-kill pile to a decent size. Specklepaw looked exhausted. He crept over to a patch of ferns and curled up beside a dozing Daisypaw. Dewfrost and Cranelegs took some prey to the queens. Cranelegs was instantly besieged by Poolkit and Petalkit, who clambered on top of their father while Eveningfall looked on, purring softly. Meanwhile, Ryan picked up a mouse and walked over to me. "Care to share?" "Sharing is caring," I agreed, sitting beside him. I was glad he offered; I was starving, but would've felt guilty taking an entire piece of prey for myself when there were other mouths to feed. While we ate, I tried to focus on the pleasantness of things. Just sitting there, sharing a meal with a tom I actually considered my friend now. I didn't let myself think about the fact that he wasn't a Clan cat and actually hated Clans, or, well, anything else. Because just about everything else about the situation was wrong and terrible. "How're you holding up?" asked Ryan. "Holding up? I feel like I was knocked down a long time ago," I said, only half joking. He looked at me sadly. "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you. I mean, I've never really loved anything like you love your Clan--except, obviously, my sisters. But I really am sorry." "You don't owe me an apology," I muttered. "You did what you could. I appreciate you helping in spite of the fact that you hate Clan cats." "I don't-" Ryan halted with a bewildered expression on his face, like he wasn't sure what he'd been about to say. "I don't hate all Clan cats," he amended. "Can I ask you a question?" I asked. "What other Clan cats have you known?" He went rigid. "What do you mean?" "Well, I'm assuming you don't just hate all SpringClan cats... unless there's something I don't know. So is there another Clan out there? Did they turn you and your sisters against all Clans?" His keen golden eyes peered into mine. "You're stunningly perceptive." I widened my eyes. "So I was right?" "Close," he mumbled. "I know someone who had something similar happen to her, only it was the opposite scenario. Rogues attacked her parents, and SpringClan took her in when she had no one." Minkpaw. I didn't say her name out loud, though; she wouldn't appreciate that. Ryan said nothing. I guessed I was getting a little too personal, so I decided to change the subject to something lighter. "So how old are you?" Oops. That was kind of personal too, wasn't it? Luckily, he didn't seem offended. "Not much older than you, I'm guessing. If I lived in a Clan, I'd be an apprentice. Or a young warrior." "What warrior name would you choose?" "Ryan," he said slyly. I shot him a glare of mock anger. "That's not an option." "Why not?" he challenged sassily. "You know why. It's not a warrior name." "But I'm a warrior. Not like a Clan warrior, but a warrior nonetheless," he pointed out. "And my name is Ryan, so it is a warrior name." I sighed. "You make no sense." "A living enigma. That's me," he said proudly, like it was an honorable title. Ivyrose approached the two of us, her eyes glimmering with faint amusement. Before I could ask her what that was about, she turned to me and said, "I hate to interrupt you two, but would you care to accompany Daisypaw and I on a patrol, Breezepaw?" "You woke Daisypaw from her nap?" I chuckled. "How'd that work out?" "Not well. I'm still mad," grumbled Daisypaw, emerging beside her mother. I got up. "I'd love to come with you guys. Where are we going?" "Oakstar and Quailfeather want us to look for a place that can serve as a more permanent camp. Something with shelter. We're so exposed and vulnerable out here." "I could come," offered Ryan. "But you just came back from a hunting patrol. You should rest," objected Ivyrose. Already on his paws, he shook off her concern. "I'll be fine." Shrugging, she said, "All right then. Come on, you three." The four of us left the camp--''no, we didn't leave the'' camp. There is no camp anymore, remember? A bitter taste welled in my mouth. I was silent, letting Daisypaw and her mother do all the talking. Ryan padded beside me. Every so often he'd spare me a curious glance, clearly trying to read my thoughts, but he didn't ask any questions. I appreciated that. In the distance behind us, I could just make out the silhouette of High-Rock. It was a cruel reminder of everything we'd lost, starkly outlined on the horizon as if it had been put there just to mock us. It was amazing. High-Rock used to be an enjoyable part of my life, and now the thought of it made me physically ache with regret and loss. Nothing was ever going to be the same. I was just going to have to come to terms with that. Somehow, SpringClan had gone from a peaceable place where nothing went wrong to this. The sunny days of my kithood were gone. Most importantly,'' I'' had changed. I was still changing. It was frightening. I missed the days when I had nothing better to do than argue with Minkpaw, drool over Bluebird, and make unnecessarily sarcastic comments. "Breezepaw? Breezepaw!" Ryan sunk his teeth into the scruff of my neck and pulled me back a second before I walked right over the edge of a cliff. I let out a yelp of fright and huddled closer to my Clanmates. "What in StarClan?" "Why am I always saving you?" muttered Ryan. "It's not my fault. Whose idea was it to put a drop-off there?" I demanded. Together, we peered down at the ground below. The rock was cut off steeply around a circular pit, which was filled with gorse. The walls were chipped and cracked, overgrown with weeds and thick grass. It wasn't anything like our old camp, and yet... "We could live here," said Daisypaw. "It's sheltered and hard to get into from the outside. As a temporary home, it's not bad." A temporary home. I could hear the hope in her voice. She was clinging to the notion that we would get our old territory back. "You're right about it being hard to get into from the outside. How would we get in?" asked Ivyrose. "Over there, on the other side." Ryan pointed. "See where part of the wall is sunk further than the rest of it? There's a ledge you can follow. It might be hard for the elders to climb back up, but it's good enough..." "Yes, that might work. We should tell Oakstar-" Ivyrose broke off as I touched her shoulder. "Do you guys smell that?" One by one, my Clanmates inhaled. A frown creased Daisypaw's brow. "What-" "Foxes," hissed Ryan, flattening his ears. Right on cue, a narrow scarlet muzzle poked out from beneath the gorse. The four of us froze as the fox sniffed the air. "Back away from the edge," Ivyrose instructed softly. "Now run!" We pelted away from the rocky dip. I let my fear take over, leaving the others far behind, something I was definitely ashamed of. When the rest of the patrol joined me back at the Clan, I immediately apologized. Ivyrose licked my ear. "Don't worry about it, dear. If you all will excuse me, I'm going to go tell Oakstar what we found. Daisypaw, go get your father please. He needs to hear this as well." Nodding, Daisypaw ran towards Goldenburst. Too embarrassed to meet Ryan's eyes, I began to slink away. He stopped me, touching his tail to my shoulder. "You don't need to beat yourself up for everything you do wrong, Breezepaw." "I'd be beating myself up constantly if I did that," I scoffed. He gave me a disapproving glare. "We all ran from the fox." "But I left you guys behind. If the fox had caught up with you, I wouldn't have even known. It was such a cowardly move." "Yeah, well-" "It wasn't something a true warrior would've done." Ryan looked thoughtful. For a second I thought he would say something along the lines of, "Well, who cares about being a true warrior anyway? The warrior code is nothing, blah, blah, blah." But he didn't. He said, "You know what a true warrior would do? Risk her life, over and over again, for her Clan. Find a way for her Clanmates to escape using her quick thinking and by being so brave it was absolutely absurd." Taken aback, I blinked at him. "That's not what I did-" "I don't give out compliments easily. There's no leave it. Just take it." "Oh. Well. Thanks." A beat of silence passed. "I'm kinda sleepy. Think I'm going to go rest," I said. "Sweet dreams," Ryan said, a twinkle entering his eyes. I crooked a grin before padding over to where Daisypaw was continuing her nap. I flopped down to join her. Dewfrost woke me in the evening. Sunset on the plains was totally different than it was in the woods. Without trees blocking the view, the horizon was endless, and the sky was enormous, like it was slowly swallowing the earth. The clouds were a shade of blazing orange, the sun a sinking ball of fire. "You're a mess. Your fur is sticking up all over the place. You look like a disheveled baby bird," Dewfrost told me. Glaring at my mentor, I clambered to my paws. "Gee, thanks. What's your point?" "You might want to clean up." He gave me a mysterious look. I sighed and began licking my pelt. "Is there a Gathering going on?" "Yes, Oakstar's just about to call it." Instantly, I was on the alert. Oakstar must be about to address the topic of a possible new camp for us. Maybe he'd decided we would attack the foxes and try to take the stone pit for our own. Or maybe not. After all, we weren't exactly in a great position for another fight. But possible dwelling places were hard to find out here, and we couldn't just stay out in the open. It was either fight the foxes or- "Let all cats gather around to hear what I have to say," Oakstar said, his voice ringing out. I winced at the amended Gathering call. Still, even without high-rock, Oakstar managed to cast a commanding shadow. All of us formed a ring around him, a ragged semblance of what Clan meetings had once been. "Cats of SpringClan, I know things have beey very difficult lately. Believe me, losing our home has torn into my heart as well." Oakstar took a deep breath, like he was reaching deep within himself to find the courage to keep talking. "But there is always hope. There is always the strength to carry on with life, if you reach out to find it." "Today, I want to do something a bit odd. Some of you may doubt my judgement, and you might do so rightfully. But I feel that this is necessary. To show ourselves that the warrior code is resilient, that it is more than a camp or a territory." Some cats shifted uneasily. Hawkeye looked angry; he clearly did not share that opinion. I hoped he'd keep his big mouth shut, even though I sort of understood his point of view. If you looked at it a certain way, it almost seemed like Oakstar was trying to say that our situation was just a "deal with it" sort of thing. Besides, warrior code or not, we were only cats at the end of the day. We missed our home, and it was hard to talk about honor and nobility when we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, stretched thin from hunting and patrolling, always looking over our shoulders to make sure Claron's rogues weren't on the move towards us. Then Oakstar said, "Breezepaw, please step forward." My mind went blank. I stood there like a lump of rock till Minkpaw snorted and gave me a shove. I nearly tripped over my paws as I approached Oakstar. I guess it was a good thing I wasn't on high-rock, or I surely would've fumbled and fell, which would've been five times as humiliating as stumbling. "I think we can all agree that our apprentices are vital to the Clan. They speak of promise for a new generation, a better tomorrow. Creating a new warrior is a milestone for the Clan. And making a new warrior out here shows that we will not beaten, no matter what happens. I can think of no better cat to embody this fighting spirit than Breezepaw. Today, I would like to thank her for what she did five sunrises ago. She showed incredible presence of mind, courage..." The rest of his speech washed over me, unregistered. I knew I should be paying attention, but it was just too much to take in. I'd never been honored; I'd never thought of myself as honorable. Now Oakstar himself was thanking me. It was boggling. "I, Oakstar, leader of SpringClan, call upon my warrior ancestors-" Warrior ancestors. My eyes flitted to the fire-streaked sky. Were they watching me? Were my parents watching me? Or was I obscurred from their vision? Had StarClan actually fallen? Oakstar was changing the traditional speech slightly. "She has given herself to your noble code and put herself below others in order to honor the warrior spirit of sacrifice. I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Breezepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" I could barely find my voice, but I managed to say, "I do." "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Breezepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Breezeflight. StarClan honors your courage and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SpringClan." He stepped forward, resting his muzzle on my head. I licked his shoulder respectfully, then stepped back. For a moment, it was so quiet that I could make out the drone of the crickets in the distance. Then, with a surge of energy that shocked and nearly deafened me, the Clan exploded into cheers. "BREEZEFLIGHT, BREEZEFLIGHT, BREEZEFLIGHT!" I realized Oakstar had made a wise choice, choosing today to hold a warrior ceremony. He had given the Clan something to believe in. I kind of wished that something wasn't me, but how could I complain? I had finally become a warrior. I scanned the faces around me, locking eyes with those I cared for most. I knew my face was shining; I could feel it. Yes, my vigil would be sat under cold skies, watching stars that seemed distant and cold. But for now, all I could think was, I'm a warrior of SpringClan. SpringClan, the Clan that carries on despite all that's happened. "Thank you, Oakstar," I murmured. The leader nodded, his eyes soft. "Thank you," he whispered. Brightkit and Flowerkit came racing up to me. "Congrats, Breezeflight!" said Flowerkit. "Thank you!" I said, chuckling. "Can I'' be a warrior? I want the same warrior name as you. I can be Brightflight." Brightkit giggled. "That rhymes!" "You'll be apprentices soon," I promised them. "Now why don't you run back to your mother before she goes crazy searching for you?" "Aw, fine. But Sleepykit's being annoying..." Brightkit padded away with her sister, still mumbling to herself. I laughed. Kits would be kits, no matter what. Behind me, I heard a shriek. I turned just in time to see a giant ball of fluff bowl into me. "Daisypaw!" I exclaimed, squirming under her weight. "What in StarClan?" "You're a warrior!" she cheered. "My best friend is a warrior. Breeze''flight! What a great warrior's name! Oh, I'm so proud of you!" More sedately, Minkpaw said, "Congratulations, Breezeflight." Her whiskers were twitching with amusement. Once Daisypaw let me up, Minkpaw purred and bumped her head to my chin. "Really, you deserve it," Specklepaw said warmly. He leaned in to press his cheek to mine. I closed my eyes contentedly, breathing in his scent. "I guess this is a big deal, so hooray for you," Lily said. Her tone was dry but not unkind. "Yeah," agreed Cammy. I was just about to be a little disappointed in Ryan's silence when he beckoned me aside, where we could talk alone. "I guess I don't really have a right to say this, but I'm... I'm proud of you. Seeing you light up like that when they made you a warrior was almost worth being stuck in a Clan." I didn't know what to make of that. I could only stare at him, his dark pelt shining like obsidian in the light of the dying sun, his eyes chips of pure gold. Shuffling his paws, Ryan said, "I'm really happy for you... Breezeflight." He said my warrior name tentatively, like he was testing it out to see if I was still the same cat. To my relief, he smiled a little, his eyes softening. Maybe he liked the sound of it. I certainly liked how it sounded coming from his mouth. "Thank you," I murmured. I touched my nose to his cheek. He stiffened in surprise, which was strange. My friends and I were always showing each other affection, even Minkpaw. I wondered if anyone had ever told Ryan they cared for him. Even his sisters--did they treat him kindly? "I have to go prepare for my vigil. I'll see you tomorrow morning." "Right." He nodded, still looking flustered. I padded to the edge of our makeshift encampment, sitting alone with my tail tucked around my paws. As I watched the night's first stars emerge in the sky, I murmured a soft prayer. "StarClan--Cloudberry and Ravenwing--if you're up there, please help us. We're struggling just to survive day by day. I don't know how we're going to keep going." Then I fell silent, taking up my vigil. The End Category:Vale